Lawn mower sharpening machine



Nov. 22, 1932. P. H. ROOT 1,888,572

LAWN MOWER SHARPENING MACHINE Filed March 2, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 If: v 6722 012 PERCY H. Roar Nov. 22, 1932. P. H. ROOT LAWN MOWER SHARPENING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 2, 1932 Patented Nov. 22, 1932 i UNITED STATES,

PERCY 11.3001, or PLYMOUT 01110, ASS'IGNOVR To rim rArn-aoor-irEArir ooingn rx, I.

or PLYMOUTH, 0310, A CORPORATION QFHOHIO LAWN MOWER siIA rEN'ING' Macrame Application filed ll iarch 2, 1932. Serial No. 596,265}

This invention relatestoa machine for sharpening lawn mowers, and particularly to .a power-driven machine of thetype in which the cutter head assembly of the lawn 5 mower is placed in a machine andthemower is sharpened or reconditioned by rotating the reel of themower and lapping the reel and cutter bar together with emery paste.

It has been foundthat there is considerable variation in size and arrangement of the parts in difi'erentmakes andmodels of lawn movers, and that a sharpening machine which has a driving mechanism which is positioned to fit some lawn mowers will not fit others. a

It is one ofthe objects of the present invention to provide a sharpening machine having a driving mechanism which can bewreadily and easily ad justed to fit difi'erent-m-akesand models of'law n mowers. f-

Other objects of the invention and features of lnovelty will be apparent from, the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which a a sharpening machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view taken ing mechanism embodied in. the machine .showninFigl;

4 is an -end View of-the driving mechanism shown infFig.3; and V a Fig. '5'is an enlarged view-ofajportion of the drivingzmechanism taken along the line 55ofFig.4."

Referrin'gvto the drawings, it .will be seen that'the machine provided byrmy invention includes .aZ-fr-ame, and that the power, driving mechanism and -means for supporting the mower head'are mounted on thisframe.

The frame, which is indicated generally by the reference character 10,,is preferably as at 19',*which areadaptedto, receive the Fig. 1 isa perspective view of one form oi."

' for the mower, head. To placethe head {in constructed of angle iron'of suitable size, and includes side members lland end members 12, which maybe welded, riveted, or other: wise secured together If desired, the frame may besupported on a stand, which is indicated generally by thereference character 14,

I and which mayzbeconstructed of any suitable material, as, for instance, angle iron. 3 [A sheet vmetal pa-n 15-is attached to the 5 frame adjacent one end, and apair of racks 17 and 18 are positioned inside of the pan-and secured to the frame. In the construction shown in-the" drawings, each of the racks ;17 and 18 is provided with two rows c t notches, 1

cross rods 20, 21 and 22.- -While themembers 20, 21 and 22 are shown as round lvrods, it should "be understood that the invention not limited-to thisconstruction; vA pair of arms-25 areisupported by the rods20 and inja manner that permits the-arms to be m VQd lengthwise {of therods. Each of the arms2 5 {is provided with a member26 having its top. face recessed as a tj27-. Theemembers '26 are preferably adjustable 1 vertically, and may be held by means ofthumb1screws28. p

When the cutter head of the-mowenwhich is generally'indicated by the referencecha'racter. .30, is placed in the machine,fthe {tie bar 31=ofthe-cutter headrests'on the members 26,' while roller 533 or the back part'of-the cutter head is supported by the member32 which is secured :to the rod 22. r This provides asimple and eflicient supporting means position, itis only necessarytoj set the head down sothat the tie bar .31 rests onthen emhers 26 a'ndto, place the-member 32-under; the

roller 33. This. provides a three-pointsupsport so that the. cutter I head will not.rock while the. weight of the head is sufficient-to holditin place. It willbe seen-matte rods 20, Bland .22 can be lplacedin: different notches 19and-thatthe inembers26can be I adjusted to different heights, so that mowing 9.9 g y machines of different sizes or makes can be readily accommodated. It will also be seen that the racks 17 and 18 are spaced apart and that the arms 25 are adjustable on the rods '20 and 21 so that lawn mowers of different widths can be placed in the machine.

It will be seen from the drawings that one wheel of the lawn mower is removed before the mower is placed in the sharpening machine. This exposes one end of the axle of the reel of the mower and permits the reel to be driven directly rather than through gearing of the mower.

.As shown. in Fig. 1 of the'drawings, the drivingmechanism for the's harpening machine is positioned adjacent the left end of the frame 10. The driving mechanism is provided with a frame, indicated generally at 41., which is mountedso as to slidetrans versely of the frame 10. The frame 41 may be constructed of pieces. of-angle iron, including side members 42 andend pieces 43,

.which can be secured together in any suitable manner, as by welding or riveting. The frame 41 is preferably somewhat longer than the widthof the frame 10; Lugs or projections, as at 44, are secured to the top of the frame 10 and are positioned so as to engage the inner faces of the side members 42 and guide the frame 41 as it ismoved across the frame 10.

h "-An'electric motor 45 secured adjacent one. end of the frame 41. Apair of brackets 46 are secured adjacent the other end of this frame and support the shaft 47. The shaft 47;is somewhat longer than the distance between thetwo vbrackets and projects from oneof the brackets. A pulley 49is fitted on the shaft47between the-brackets 46, while' abelt 48'connects the motorwith the pulley 49. The pulley is secured against axial move- I ment by the collar47 There'is mounted on the [shaft 47 a pinion' 50, which is either integral with or rigidly secured to the hub of the pulley 49. 'Both the pulley and the pinion are free to turn on the-shaft47, and together form what maybe called the driving member.

A pair of arms 51 are also fitted on the shaft 47', one between and one outside of the brackets 46. These arms are'rigidly secured to the shaft 47, being held 'by the set screws 52. A shaft 53, which is the driven member, is mountedin the ends of the arms 51. A gear 54 is secured to the shaft 53 andmeshes with the pinion so. that rotation of the pulley'49 causes the shaft 53to turn. A

shield or eovering, not shown, for the gears 50.and 54 may be "secured to one of the set screws 52. a I

The shaft ects from sneer the arms and has a pin 55 fitted therein. This pin engages a slot in the coupling member 56, which member is'adapted to engagethe end of the axle35 of the reel of the mowing'machine,

"so that the reel will be turned by theshaft' 53. In order that the sharpener will operate properly, it is necessary to have the axis of.

reel. The shaft 53 is adjusted vertically by i rotating theshaft 47which carries the arms 1 51. When the shaft'47 rotated, the arms 51.

rotate also andthis changes the Verticalposition ofthe shaft 53,'aswill be better understood by reference; to Fig. .5. Adjustment through a-widerange of vertical'heights is possible, asthe shaft 53 can be swung through almost an entire circle. i Bycombining horizontalandvertical adjustments of the shaft 53, this shaft can be brought into. alignment with the axle of the reel of any size or make of mowing machine which is to .be sharpened. It will also be seen that the adjustment of the position of the driving shaft isvery easily accomplished. The horizontal adjustment secured by merely sliding the driving mechanism transversely. of the main frame, while the'vertical adjustment is secured by rotating the arms .51 and the shaft 47. The shaft '47 is heldbyset screws 57 which are loosened when it is desired toturn this shaft,'and which are tightened to hold the shaft 47 after the driving shaft has been adjusted to the proper height. In operation, one of the wheels ofthe mowing machine is removed and the cutter head is placed inthe sharpening machine in the mannerdescribedindetail above. The drivf ing mechanism of the sharpening machine is then adjusted, so that the driving shaft 53 is in alignment with the axle of the reel of the cutter head. "The coupling'member 56 is lot then put in placebetween the shaft 53 and the reel,so that when the shaft 53 of the driv'i ing -mechanisin is turned by the motor 45,,

the'reel of the mowing machine is caused to turn. Emery'compound is then brushed on the knivesof the reel, and as thereel rotates,

the knives of; the reel and the cutter bar36.

are lapped together. The lapping or sharpening process may be aided by adjusting the cutter bar 36 a trifle closer to the reel in order that these parts will'each be ground down and willbetter fit each other.

'Whenthe cutter head'has chine 'long enough'to complete the lapping been in themaprocess, vitcan"beremoved merely by disconvmeeting t Q pling member "56 wand lifting the cutter head off th g po ariy emery compound remainson the cutter head, v V V i K i itcan be removed by washing with gasoline or kerosene. The wheelmay then be replaced and the lawn mower will be ready for opera-' tion. a i i From the foregoing, it will be seen that m invention provides a machine for 'sharpening lawn mowers'which is simple and economical to construct and which is easy to operate. i

It will also be seen that the machine provided by my invention is adapted to receive any 'size or model of lawn mower and tha"U the described my invention, I claim:

1. A device for sharpening lawn mowers having, in combination, a frame, means associated with said frame for supporting the cutter head of a lawn mower, and a driving mechanism, said driving mechanism including a pair of interconnected members, one

of said members being supported by an arm which is pivoted to swing about the axis of the other of said members, the pivotally mounted member being adapted to rotate the reel of the lawn mower, I I

2. A device for sharpening lawn mowers having, in combination, aframe, means associated with said frame for supporting the cutter head of a lawn mower, and a driving mechanism,said driving mechanism including a pair of interconnected members, one of said-members being supportedby an arm which is pivoted to swing about the axis of the other of said members,'the pivotally mountea member being adapted to rotate the reel-of the lawn -mower, and releasablefmeans to prevent swinging of said arm.. V

3. In a driving mechanism for a lawn mower sharpening machine,-a pair of intercom nected rotating members mounted on'horizontal axes, one of said members belng sup-- ported by an arm which is pivoted to swing, about the axis of the other of said members whereby the power delivery end of said mechanism may be adjusted vertically,-and releasable means to prevent swinging of said arm.

4:. A device for sharpening lawn mowers having, in combination, a frame, means associated'with said frame for supporting the cutter head of a lawn mower, a driving mechanism including a rotating member adapted to rotate the reelfof th'ecutter head, and

means'to adjust the axis of said rotating,

member both vertically and horizontally.

5. A device forvsharpening lawn mowers having, 111 combinatlon, a frame, means assoterhead of -a-lawn mower, {and a driving mechanism) including a rotating member adapted to rotate the r'eel ofthe cutter head, said; rotating m'ember -being supported. by a bracket which is pivotal-1y mounted.

In a driving mechanism'for a -"lawn mower sharpeningmaehine,a driven-member ancl' a'driving' member, said members being I I j operativelyconnected together, the driven member being supported by an which is pivoted to swing aboutthe axisof thedriving member for adjustment purposes;

7L4! device for sharpening lawn mowers having, in combination, a frame, means asso ciated with said frame for supportingthe cutter head of a lawn mower, and a' driving mechanism adapted to rotate the reel of the cutter head, the driving mechanism being movable transversely of the axis of the cutter reel, said driving mechanism including a rotating member which is supported by an "arm i v:

which is p'ivotally mounted.

8. In amachine for sharpeninglawn mowers, a frame, means associated with said frame for supporting the cutter head-of a lawn mower, and a driving mechanism adapted to rotate the reel of the cutter head, said driving mechanism being movable transversely of i he axis of the cutter reel, and including va pair of rotating members one of which is supported by an arm which is pivoted to swing about the axis of the other of said members.

' 9. A driving mechanismfor a lawn mower sharpening machine having a pairfof rotating members including a driven member adapted to turn the reel ofa cutter head, and a driving ico member adapted to turn the drivenmember, 1

the driven member bei'ngsupp'orted by'an arm which is pivoted to swing aboutthefaxis of the driving member for adjustment pur poses. i

10. mowers, a frame, means associated with said In a machine for sharpening-lawn frame for supporting the cutter head of a lawn mower, and a driving mechanism-adapt- 7 ed to rotate the reel of the cutter headpsaid driving mechanism being movable transverse- 1 i ly of the axis of the reel of the cutter head and including a driving member and a driven a I member, the driven member being supported by an armwhich is pivotally-mounted to swing about the axis of the-driving mem-' her. a

11.,In a machine for',s1 1'arpening lawn I frame for supporting the cutter head ofa mowers, a frame, means associated with said lawn mower, and a drivingmechanism, the driving mechanism being movable transversely-ofthe axis of the reel of the cutter head and including a driving member and a, driven "member, the driven member being adapted to rotate the reel of the cutterhead and being V e supported by an arm "which ,is' pivoted to swing about the axis ofthe driving member.

12. A device for sharpening lawn mowers having, in combination, a'fraine, means associated with said frame for supporting the cutter head of a lawnmower,andadrivingmechanisin' including a rotatingmember adapted to rotate the meld the cu'tterhead, said 1 '0-7 tatin'g member being supported by an arm 1 which is pivotally mounted, said driving mechanism being movable transversely of, V

the-axis about which the supporting'ar'm 0 the rotatingmember-is pivoted. I

In testim0ny whereof, I hereunto afiix'my signature. 1 14- f PERCY ROOT.

GERTIFEGATE or CORRECTION. Patent No. 1,888,572. November 22, 1932.

PERCY H. ROOT.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring Correction as follows: Page 3, after line 65, claim 5, insert the syllable and words ciated with said frame for supporting the cut-"; and that the said Letters Patent shouid be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 17th day of January, A. D. 1933.

M. J. Moore, Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

